The Irish standard., 1887-06-18
III.
A LONELY INHAB1TANT.

II.
A LONELY INHABITANT.
Having gained one of the recesses o!
the cave, his first look was directed tt
see where the light came from. HI
soon found it proceeded from a small
lamp suspended from the rock above b,
brass chain, but it gave only faint
and sickly glare, making it extremely
difficult to see into what appeared tt
be very large passage or apartment
He could tell, however, that it was
empty; so, cropping with his hands, hi
found niche or shelf on which he
could recline, and he made up his mind
to stay until morning gave the fuller
view of the contents Of this mysterious
place.
He had not lain long when there
came a sound like sigh, with some
muttered and inaudible sentences. He
felt uncomfortable.
What if he had hidden in the retreat
of some of those dangerous smugglers
Of whom he had heard so much! What
if he should never leave this place
again! Then he thought Of his poor
mother, who expected him, her only
son, home in few weeks, and others
too who, he well knew, took a deep in
terest in him. Oh, how earnestly he
wished he had never seen the rock
which now enclosed him and might inn
prison the bones till the day of judg-
ment! Again the sigh was repeated,
and this time more Distinctly: then it
appeared that some one was stirring;
so sitting up quietly, he found that,
without being observed, he could see
all that passed. Now the figure of a
man could be plainly defined standing
erect with hands outstretched toward
the farther end of the grotto, apparent
ly in supplication, then turning to the
right, it disappeared. In short time
a sound like of some one washing and
making a toilet was heard. The same
figure appeared again, differently
dressed, and touched small gong,
which sent out on the silent night such
peal of sweet sound as on this Christ
mas morn the surprised gauger thought
only fit to be heard by the shepherds of
Bethlehem, Soon the strange individ-
ual walked to the farther end of the
apartment, and, opening box. appear
ed, to the gauger's further astonish-
ment to be erecting an altar.
By this time, voices were heard out
side, and young man entered and spoke
In low tones to persons approaching
the entrance; other steps advanced,
and the tall young man passed close by
where the gauger lay concealed.
care yon really, Father?" said the
eyes, Brian. Is Phelim with you?''
''He is, your reverence. Shall I bring
him in?'
Certainly" said the priest; and
Brian soon returned, accompanied by a
sweet-taced child of about twelve years,
whom the guager instinctively guessed
would serve at the Holy Sacrifice of the
Mass, which he now realized with awe
was soon to be celebrated.
Then flocked in a score of people,
mostly young, and knelt in front Of the
altar, which was removed from them
by a few large stones. The altar itself
was composed Of large stones, neatly
arranged, and covered with a snowy
cloth, on which several candles burned.
Having now discovered that it was
the poor, down -trodden priest Of God
who had found in this cold rock re-
fuge from his pursuers, and that there
was about to be offered the Sacrifice
which first commenced in a like grotto
in a Tar away land, no wonder the poor
young guager found his eyes running
over with tears and shame and remorse
shame, that he belonged to race
who, it was alleged, had prosecuted
people so religiously endowed, SO highly
worthy of more humane treatment and
remorse at what had been his own false
Judgment of the inhabitant of the cave.
Ill.
THE MIDNIGHT PROCEEDINGS.
When Mass, the holy midnight Mass
lin which the concealed guager had